6.7.4.4 Multiculturalism

Multiculturalism encourages each ethnic group to mind
its own business and not quarrel with others. Its proponents argue that people
will inevitably want to express their ethnicity, because it forms a major
component of their identity, and that it is their human right to do so. In
practice, multiculturalist policies have led to problems:

·An
undue emphasis upon differences between groups creates exclusionary reactions,
as revealed by a study of attitudes in Holland for example.[1]
It weakens social cohesion.

·If
ethnic groups live in separate areas, particularly in large aggregations, they
become increasingly isolated from the rest of society and mutual ignorance
becomes a problem. For example, although British pluralism has been broadly peaceful, some flashpoints in the north of England have been associated with
physical segregation and “a series of parallel lives”. As the Cantle Report on
Social Cohesion observed:

“There is little wonder that the ignorance about
each others’ communities can easily grow into fear; especially where this is
exploited by extremist groups determined to undermine community harmony and
foster divisions”.[2]